Flushometer.



w. H. BOWMAN.

FLUSHOMETEB.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 19101 P11611151 Apr. 4, 1911.

RNA

INVENTOR W a M Aiming WALTER H. BOWMAN, OF DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

FLUSHOMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1910.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911'.

Serial Na. 565,690.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER H. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dover, in the county of Straiford and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushometers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the provision of an effective valve mechanism for use in flushing bowls and closets, and for other purposes, which, when positively started into operation, will discharge a predetermined quantity of fluid and then automatically close; said mechanism to be adapted for freely discharging at the outlet all the fluid which can pass at the delivery inlet.

A further object is the provision of means for regulating or varying the quantity of fluid discharged.

A further object is the provision of mechanism which will be of very simple construe tion,-relatively cheap in first cost, light in weight, not liable tobecome deranged or clogged and hence inoperative, and which shall effectively and with certainty perform the desired functions.

With these ends in View, my invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts substantially as herein set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical I application of the principle.

- stem, an opening 6 in the wall with a bear- Figure 1 is a view in central section taken on line ww of Fig. 2 of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is an end View in elevation looking in the direction of the arrow, the operating handle being omitted.

Referring to the several figures, the body of the flushometer comprises two castings 1 and 2 of any suitable material. The casting 1 has a cylindrical discharge chamber 3 with an outlet 4 threaded to receive a threaded pipe which is in communication with a bowl or vessel to be flushed, a bearing or seat l5 closed at one end for a valve in for a rotary operating rod, a hollow cy indrical portion 7 with a threaded edge 8, a circular discharge outlet 9 provided with a circular flange 10 constituting a valve Y seat, and a hole 11 to receive a screw.

The casting 2, which may be called the cover, is of a truncated conical shape having threads 12 at the edge to engage the threaded edge 8, spacing pieces 13 on its inner surface, and an interiorly threaded delivery inlet 14 to receive the threaded end of a water supply pipe.

The inclosed space between the discharge outlet 9 and the delivery inlet 14 constitutes the delivery chamber A and within it is located a valve chamber B formed by a casting 15 of a conical shape with a central hole 16 for a valve stem, and a threaded edge 17, the exterior surface of the conical shaped body or disk bearing against the spacing pieces 13 or, if preferred, cast integral with them and the casting 2, and a flexible diaphragm 18 of leather or other suitable ma terial with its outer circumferential edge clamped to the outer edge of the conical casing 15 by a threaded collar or ring 19 engaging with threaded edge 17, as shown.

The number 20 designates a hole through the center of the flexible diaphragm; 21, a hollow cast-ing with a disk 22 slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the discharge outlet 9, a portion 23 of somewhat less diameter than the disk 22, a spider 2 1 with a hole 25 for the valve stem, and a threaded stem 25 passed through the opening in the diaphragm, the end thereof constituting a seat for a valve; 26, a threaded disk clamping the edge of the diaphragm about the central opening therein against the disk 22; 27, a valve stem; 28, a collar fixed on the valve stem; 29, a spring bearing against the spider 24 and the collar; 30, a valve in the chamber B and fixed to the valve stem; 31, an operating lever having a hole at one end and a fork 32 at the other end straddling the valve stem; 33, an operating rod within the hole at one end of the lever and passed through the opening 6 in the wall of the casting; 34, a stufling box;

35, a weighted operating handle actuated by B. Further, that the casting 21 can move relative to the valve stem and that the: spring 29 normally holds the valve 30 shown in Fig. 1 and the chambers A and B being filled with water, the diaphragm obviously closes the discharge outlet. raising the Weighted handle the valve stem is moved longitudinally and the valve 30 unseated, allowing water from the chamber B o pas t ugh t hollow casting 21 to th discharge chamber. When suiiicient water has been discharged, the water in chamber A pressing on the diaphragm vmoves it rearwardly and opens the discharge outlet, allowing water to pass freely to the bowl to be f u hed.- When h p ra g handl is released the valve stem moves under the action of the spring and seats the valve 30. ate passing t r gh hol 16 gra ua y fills chamber B .and moves the diaphragm o i s. s a l sing he di harg ou e A the oll w casting m ves w h. h ephreg hesmaller n 2 partly lo e the discharge outlet and allows sufficient water to pass to refill the flushed bowl or other vesse y th a ju tm nt of th et cr the travel of the lever and valve stem is regulated and thus the quantity of water which can passthe discharge outlet is controlled, as is obvious.

One importa featu of t e op atio of the device is the continuous movement of the valve stem in the feed hole or opening 16 which prevents the feed opening around the tem becom ng log d by d ty a e r foreign substances or through the corrosion of the metallic surfaces.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing it is clear that I have produced a valve mechanism which fulfils all the conditions set forth as the end a d pu po e o y inve tion.

What I claim is z 1, A valve mechanism having an outlet, a delivery chamber with an inlet, a discharge outlet from the delivery chamber, a valve chamber within the delivery chamber one of the inclosing walls of which consists of a flexible diaphragm, which diaphragm is adapted to close the discharge outlet, an element with a passage therethrough movable with the diaphragm, a valve stem, a valve carried by the valve stem and adapted to close the passage through the said element movable with t diaph g and m ans for mov g the valve stem and uns a ing the valv so flu doan pas f m the valv chamber hr ugh h lement movable with the diaphragm; there being an opening trom the delivery chamber to the interior of the valve chamber for the passage of fluid said opening.

from the former to the latter, and the valve stem being located within said opening whereby its movements will dislodge any foreign matter which may become lodged in 2. A valve mechanism having an outlet, a delivery chamber with an inlet, a discharge outlet from the delivery chamber, a valve chamber within the delivery chamber one of the inclosing walls of which consists of a flex d aphragm, hi h d aphragm is adapted to ,close the discharge outlet, .a hollow casting secured to and movable with the diaphragm, said casting having an exten= o of sn el ere ee ha th a a of t e discharge outlet? so as in operation to gradually close the outlet and provide for the fil nv l e te l osely engaging its hea ngs, a al e carr by he a ve st m and adapted to close the passage throughthe said element movable W h the iaphr m, mean for ,movingthe valve stem and unse lhing the valve so fluid can pass from the valve cham-. her through ,the element movable with the diaphragm, and means for positively moving the valve-to itsseat and closingthe said passag h re b g an openin rom the delivery chamber to the interior of the valve chamber for the passage of fluid from the former to the latter, and the valve stem being located ,and movable Within openg A valve mechanism having an outlet, a delivery chamber with an inlet, a discharge u l m the d l v ry (c mb a valve 100 chamber within the delivery chamber oneof the inclosing walls of which consists of a flex ble p gm, wh d phra m i adapted to close the discharge outlet, an elem n with a P ss ge th reth o sh movab e 105 with the diaphragm, a valve stem, valve a r :by the valve t i and d p e o close the passage through the said element movable with the diaphragm, and means consisting of a lever and an operating handle 110 for moving the valve stem and unseating the al so flui en pa r m he v v r hr ugh h e em nt m va l wi th iap ag he e nge open ng om he d i y amh r the in e i r o th al e chamber within the delivery chamber one of the inclosing walls of which consists of- :a fl x e diaphragm, which d aphragm i adapted to close the discharge outlet, an ele; ment with a passage therethrough movable with the diaphragm, a valve stem, a valve 139 carried by the valve stem and adapted to close the passage through the said element movable with the diaphragm, means for moving the valve stem and unseating the valve so fluid can pass from the valve chamber through the element movable with the diaphragm, and a spring located upon the stem within the discharge chamber and bearing at one end against a washer 011 the stem and at the other end against the element movable with the diaphragm for reseating the valve and closing the said passage; said valve stem loosely engaging its bearings and being movable in one direction independently of the movement of the means for operating the same and unseating the valve, there being an opening from the delivery chamber to the interior of the valve chamber for the passa e of fluid from the former to the latter, an the valve stem being located and movable within said opening.

5. A valve mechanism comprising two castings 1 and 2 united and forming a discharge chamber and a delivery chamber with a discharge outlet between the two, a valve chamber within the delivery chamber one of the inclosing walls of which consists of a flexible diaphragm, which diaphragm is adapted to close the discharge outlet, an element with a passage therethrough movable with the diaphragm, a valve stem, a valve carried by the valve stem and adapted to close the passage through the said element movable with the diaphragm, and means for moving the valve stem and unseating the valve so fluid can pass from the valve cham ber through the element movable with the diaphragm; there being an opening from the delivery chamber to the interior of the valve chamber for the passage of fluid from the former to the latter, the means for moving the Valve stem and valve being partly located within the discharge chamber, and one end of the valve stem being movably located within the opening from the delivery chamber to the valve chamber.

6. A valve mechanism having an outlet, a

delivery chamber with an inlet, a discharge outlet from the delivery chamber, a valve chamber in the delivery chamber one of the inclosing Walls of which consists of a flexible diaphragm, which diaphragm is adapted to close the discharge outlet, an element with a passage therethrough movable with the diaphragm, a valve stem, a valve carried by the valve stem and adapted to close the passage through the said element movable with the diaphragm, means for moving the valve stem and unseating the valve so fluid can pass from the valve chamber through the element movable with the diaphragm, and means for regulating the travel of the valve stem in unseating the valve; there being an opening from the delivery chamber to the interior of the valve chamber for the passage of fluid from the former to the latter, and means in operative connection with a movable element of the valve for preventing the stoppage of said opening by foreign matter in the fluid.

7. A valve mechanism having a discharge chamber with an outlet, a delivery chamber with an inlet, a discharge outlet between the discharge chamber and the delivery chamber, a valve chamber within the delivery chamber inclosed by a disk and a flexible dia phragm, a hollow casting secured to and movable with the diaphragm, a valve stem passed through the hollow casting and a hole in the said disk, a valve upon the valve stem adapted to close the opening through the hollow casting, and means for reciprocating the valve stem and moving the valve from its seat; there being an opening between the said valve stem and the wall bounding the hole in the said disk so fluid can pass from the delivery chamber to the valve chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER H. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

RALPH S. MARSH, ALICE E. MOULTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

